Mallory
by Oryt
Summary: The classic Maskmaker story with a twist. What if Shawn wasn't shot, and he followed Natara to San Francisco? What if he made it his purpose to keep Mal away from Natara, at all costs?
1. Chapter 1

**First Fanfic, so it may be bad, but I'm proud :D I love Shawn, and i hope they finish his story, because i honestly believe he isn't dead. Enjoy!**

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><p>The heat was unbearable in the tiny, cramped room. The floor was covered in litter and dirt, and a tiny cot was shoved in a corner. An infant cried softly, wrapped in some grimy rags.<br>Natara's hand trembled as she trained the gun on her suspect. She tried to get a clear shot, but Shawn Mallory was stepping from side to side, obscuring her view of the man pointing his gun at the cot.  
>The small mewling baby thrashed weakly as the barrel of the gun moved nearer and nearer to its head. "Drop the gun or I'll shoot!" the stocky man hopped agitatedly training the gun on the baby, then Shawn, then back to the baby.<br>He didn't seem to notice Natara lurking in the shadows. 'It's now or never Natara, now or never, just SHOOT him' thoughts raced through her mind, what if she missed, and risked everyone being shot? Or what if she shot Shawn? He was awfully close, and kept bobbing in front of her. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she shot him, she loved him so much, he was everything to her.  
>Time seemed to slow down as Natara raced to make up her mind, shoot? Or don't shoot? Before she could decide, a loud gunshot rang out, and the house was horribly silent. Natara ducked down and closed her eyes, not daring to find out who had shot who.<br>The crying stopped, and Natara slowly opened her eyes. She fought back the tears, and tried to stop herself gagging as she saw what had happened.  
>Blood was splattered all over the cot, and there was no movement or crying from inside. The rags were rapidly turning crimson.<br>Without thinking, she ran out of the shadows towards the cot, elbowing the man out of the way, just as Shawn shot at him. The bullet hit Natara square in the shoulder, and she fell, hitting her head on the floor.  
>Her vision started to fade, and she was vaguely aware of Shawn kneeling beside her, applying pressure to her shoulder. "You shot me, Shawn, you shot me" she whispered, watching blood seep along the dusty floorboards. "I know Natara, I know, I'm so sorry" Shawn's eyes began to spill tears, and they were the last things Natara saw as she felt herself drift into unconsciousness.<br>The last thing she heard were Shawn's choked sobs as he cradled her head in his arms, his hands covered in her blood, as she heard the faint wail of sirens getting closer.  
>"Hold on Natara, hold on"<p>

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><p><strong>Ooooooh ;) Snazz, eh? Review please? Also, please PMReview any ideas for other CoD stories for me to write, because obviously i don't want to write fanfics no ne wants to read xD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay, Chapter 2 guys! Excited? No? Meanies :P Sorry, it;s short, this is still before the story actually starts, so I'm trying to get to the actual meeting of Mal and Natara, wonder how Shawn's going to react to the obvious chemistry? ;) I feel a bit mean about making Shawn look like the bad guy, obviously if you know him he's just a bit mad :L Thanks for the reviews guys, i can't believe people actually liked my first chapter :')**

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><p>A car horn blared as it sped past, shattering Natara's thoughts. For a moment she thought she was back in that room, running towards that child, crying those broken tears and feeling that searing pain as that bullet tore through her shoulder.<p>

"Natara?" Shawn gently patted her shoulder, making her wince  
>"Sorry, are you ok?"<br>"I think so, just a bit anxious, that's all" Natara looked out of the window at the docks, and the police tape cordoning off one area.

The scene was crowded with police, with one person in particular seeming to be in charge. He was tall and muscular, and had quite a few female reporters hanging round him, looking more interested in him than the story they were supposed to be reporting. Another man stood next to him, looking a lot less enthused about the reporters throwing themselves bodily at him.

He was quite good-looking, and had the most gorgeous floppy hair, that most of the girls were attempting to stroke in their attempt to distract him  
>"You ready?" Shawn gently placed his hand in Nataras<p>

The second man had now stepped away from the reporters, and was staring right at Natara. Even from over where her car was parked, She could see his piercing blue eyes looking right into her own. Natara smiled at Shawn  
>"As I'll ever be"<p>

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><p><strong>Wa-Hay we're getting somewhere! :D Had an idea for a new story that I'll be planning while writing this, which is obviously quite long. It's called 'Saving Kara Yan', and it's about Kai saving Kara Yan (Really! Because the title didn't make it at all obvious). Kai's just so cute, and I thought it would be fun to write about him. What exactly Kai's going to save Kara Yan from exactly i don't know, anyone got any ideas? xD<strong>

_**-M**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Heeeeey Guys! Thank you so much for all your reviews, you have NO IDEA how much that means to me! I'm glad you like the Kai/Kara story, and I started hyperventilating a bit when 'Mallory' was added to someone's alert subscription! :D Soooooo, new chapter, ENJOY!**

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><p>Natara shuddered and clutched her camera tightly. The wind whipped her hair around her face, making it harder to focus on the tiny screen in front of her. She knew now wasn't the time to get emotional, but seeing that young, well dressed girl with a plaster mask clamped on her face she couldn't help thinking what a waste of a life. How could anyone be so cruel as to kill a girl as young as her, to look into their frightened eyes just before they died, and then simply toss her into the water.<p>

She took a deep breath and pressed the shutter. Out of nowhere, the man from earlier appeared, trying to smooth back the infamous hair.  
>"Miss, Please back away from the crime scene"<br>Natara smiled and began to reply, when Shawn stepped in front of her  
>"We're with the FBI, we know what we're doing"<br>The man frowned at Shawn, and glanced at a smart, serious woman stood next to him  
>"You called in the Feds?"<br>The woman shrugged  
>"Play nice, Detective"<br>She walked away, and the man looked back at Natara

"I'm Detective Mal Fallon, and you are?"  
>"I'm Special Agent Natara Williams, and this is Special Agent Shawn Mallory"<br>Before Mal could reply, a police officer shouted for him to come over. Shawn grabbed Natara's arm and started angrily whispering in her ear, but she had zoned out, gazing over at Mal as he spoke to the officer. He started pointing at the girl and shining a blacklight over her.  
>Mal waved Natara over<p>

"That stamp on her arm is from the Zen Club, the bar in Chinatown. It's pretty crisp, she must have been there last night. Special Agents, we just got a lead."  
>Shawn and Natara started to follow Mal, when Natara pulled him back.<br>"Listen, you look pretty worked up, is that really the best emotion when we're trying to catch a killer? I think you should stay here and wait for forensics"  
>Natara gave Shawn a sympathetic smile and hurried after Mal, who was waiting in the car.<br>Shawn sighed and spun round, almost smashing into a tall, serious man in a white shirt, observing the dead girl with a mixture of awe and disappointment. He looked up and stared at Shawn with cold, penetrating eyes.

"I am Eric Mills, the forensic technician, who are you"  
>"Shawn Mallory, F.B.I" Shawn went to shake his hand, but Eric simply stared at him like he was mad<br>"So... The victims were strangled?"  
>"Usually, yes, but the cause of death is different, see the tiny welt on her neck? It shows she was injected with something before she died. And look at her ears, there's sign of haemorrhaging, her airways were constricted just before she died"<br>Shawn tried not to pass out as the realisation of just how the girl had died hit him. He thought of how firghtened she must have been, begging not to be hurt. What sort of psychopath would be able to live with themselves after they had something as sick as let a college girl suffocate under layers of plaster.

"The mask, he killed her with the mask. He's evolving, and when someone as disciplined as this has room to evolve..." Shawn tailed off, his eyes met with Eric's, who seemed as cool and collected as when he first stepped onto the crime scene.

"What?"

"It means trouble"

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><p><strong>Dun dun dun! Sorry if it's bad, I was struggling with this chapter, wasn't sure how to introduce Eric, or how to separate Natara and Shawn, but it's not that bad :L (she said hopefully). I've got a question for you guys, do you prefer people updating short chapter maybe every 1-2 days, or long chapters every 3-4 days? Feel free to review or pm answers, I want to know what writing style people enjoy most :) <strong>

**-_M _**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey CoD fans, I'm back, ruining compelling literature for the world. So, here's a bit more lonely Shawn, followed by Psycho Shawn, then back to lonely Shawn, because he's cuter that way ;) ENJOY!**

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><p>Back at the precinct, Shawn Mallory rocked back and forth uncomfortably on a chair, glancing anxiously at the wall clock. He tried not to worry about Natara's safety, or how she seemed to have gained a new male partner, that wasn't him. Suddenly the door burst open, and officers dragged in a reluctant young man, obviously a bartender, as he still had his apron on and a towel tucked in his waistband. Natara and Mal followed them through the precinct, and Shawn tried to fight the urge to run up to Natara. Instead he sauntered casually up to her and tried to stop his voice wobbling as he spoke.<p>

"So, who's that? Is he a suspect in the Maskmaker case?"  
>"Yes, Jared Mills, last person to see Sophie alive apparently, we're questioning him now. Find anything on the body?"<br>Shawn paused, and took in Natara's flushed face and the way she was taking deep breaths, like she's trying to catch up with herself.  
>"Been running?"<br>Natara laughed, her eyes sparkling, something Shawn had never seen her do. She was usually so calm and non-emotional, it was strange to see another side of her.  
>"You could say that! You know, shooting locks, dodging pans thrown at my head, almost getting hit by a bus, the usual."<br>"You almost got hit by a BUS!"  
>"The suspect tried to make a break for it, so we ended up racing through Chinatown after him. I almost stepped in front of a speeding bus, but Mal tackled me forward out of the way. So, like I said before, find anything on the body?"<p>

Shawn had stopped listening when Natara began saying how Mal had saved her. He was beginning to dislike this Mal, and made a vow to keep them away from each other in the future. In the six years Natara had worked with him, she had never been as happy as this, but it seems that in the few hours she had spent with Mal, she had become Miss Sweetness and Light...  
>"SHAWN"<br>He jumped, and looked back at Natara, who was gazing at him with a look of confusion and annoyance.  
>"You know what, I have a suspect to question, I'll see you later"<br>She gave him a slightly pitying look, and walked down the hall, only glancing back once as Mal held the door open for her.

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><p><strong>Oooooh some serious Maltara in there eh? ;) So I did an Introduction for 'Saving Kara Yan' and I was quite proud, especially the end, which I think was quite sweet. Have a look sometime, it'll pass a few minutes time ;)<strong>

**-_M_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Heeeeeeeeeeey Guys! It's me! (The World: Well _NO(!)_ heh) So this isn't really a proper chapter, I just wanted some more psycho Shawn, he's so cute! Oh, and by the way, if you haven't already heard of her (assuming they're a her) i REALLY suggest you check out fellow fanfic-er _But I Have Promises To Keep_, she's in my Fav. Authors list,and she's my _FAVOURITE_ fanfic-er and you will_ NOT_ be disappointed with her CoD fanfics, they're honestly _AMAZING_! They're authentic and emotional, and i guarantee you will be in tears reading her fanfics, they're just so beautiful :') So Yeah, seriously, read them. ALL. ENJOY!**

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><p>Natara sipped her coffee as she glanced anxiously at Shawn pacing angrily up and down the carpet. He was trying to act casual, but Natara could see the hurt looks he kept throwing her way. She slowly picked up her laptop and pretended to be engrossed with whatever was on the screen, as she tried to work out why Shawn was on edge. Her mobile started to ring, and she shot across the room and scooped it up, not stopping to look at the caller ID.<p>

"Hello?"  
>"Special Agent Williams, I'm calling in regards to the Maskmaker case"<br>Natara's heart sank at the dull, monotonous voice of her district chief.  
>"It's proceeding as expected sir, we've got leads and potential witnesses."<br>"That's all well and good, but remember you're on thin ice after Miami, one more slip up and you're off"

Natara could feel her hands buckling as she fought back a silent scream, fuming at Chief Blaire's patronising tone. With clenched teeth, she said goodbye, and slammed her phone down. A searing pain shot up her arm, and for a moment she was back in the cramped apartment, hearing the gunshot, the last choking sobs of the baby, and the bullet burning into her shoulder as she hit the ground with a thud. She heard Shawn shouting her name as tears streamed down her face.

"Natara!"  
>She jumped at Shawn's touch. It took her a moment to realise where she was. She looked into Shawn's worry-filled eyes, and burst into tears. His stony facade suddenly melted as he clasped Natara close, stroking her hair. He would never admit it, but he liked it better this way, the more helpless Natara was, the stronger he felt. He smirked.<p>

Look at this Detective Floppy Hair, she's MINE,

and she always will be...

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><p><strong>Yeah, I went a bit mental of the italics there, but they're <em>COOL<em>! See? ;) So, remember, check her out, she's amazing (still assuming they're a her, please correct me if I'm wrong!) And sorry this is so short, I'm planning another chapter soon, and a WHOLE BUNCH of random on shots, so watch this space! :D**

**-_M_**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry I know the bits before the story are really long when I write them, but today it is SUPER LONG, muahahahah On with the replies**

**-mozzi-girl**  
><strong>Your reviews always make me smile, I love checking to see if I've received one from you. Oops, I'm going a bit stalker on you now heh. And Psycho Shawn FTW! :D<strong>

**-The Sarcastic Polar Bear**  
><strong>Got a bit confused when I saw you on the reviews, I was like who are you? Heh, thanks for saying the KaiKas story was cute, and yes, yes I will update soon ;) Oh my god loving your name, much? :D**

**-But I Have Promises To Keep**  
><strong>Casual screaming of joy when someone as amazing as you tells me it sounds like it came straight from the game! Eeeeeeeep! :D<strong>

**Now that I've unleashed my fangirl-ness on the world of fanfic, I have one more thing to say. I won't be posting any more chapters for maybe a week or so, because it's currently absolute agony to write D: I've basically burned an entire (in places two layers) layer of skin off of both my hands, and they're pretty bad. Thankfully, this chapter is pretty long, it should keep you going ;)**

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><p>Mal tapped his hand on the steering wheel agitatedly. He'd been sat waiting for half an hour, and was slowly losing patience. Bloody Feds, he thought to himself, and started having a heated conversation with himself about how the FBI were more of a hindrance than a help, when something made him stop his inward moaning. It was Shawn, his face contorted into what could only be described as pure rage, and Natara's tear-stained face. As they climbed into Mal's car, he had the sense to not say anything. He liked his head the way it was, thank you very much.<p>

As they arrived at the precinct, Shawn shot out of the car and straight through the automatic doors. As Natara reluctantly followed him, Mal caught hold of her arm, and gave her a reassuring smile. She was starting to get some colour back into her cheeks, and and began to look like the smart young woman at the docks.  
>"Think you can handle the bullpen? They can get pretty rowdy sometimes, not quite the atmosphere you need when attempting to give an accurate profile of our killer."<br>Natara smiled at him  
>"I think I'll do just fine, thanks"<br>As they stepped into the bullpen, try were immediately swept aside by an officer attempting to hustle a grubby young man desperately trying to flee through the doors. He winked at Natara  
>"Alright sexy, where have you been all my life?"<p>

Mal tried to casually glance at Natara to find out her reaction, but she had disappeared. Mal tried to spot Natara in the crowd of officers, detectives and forensic technicians that had suddenly appeared in the bullpen, and could just see her as she shrank against the wall as if she was attempting to become invisible. Shawn seemed to be fighting his way over to her, and it looked like Natara was in no mood to talk to him, as she suddenly stood up straight, smoothed her jacket and pushed her way to the front of the bullpen. Taking a deep breath, you shoved your way forwards using your shoulder, and appeared next to Natara as she finished trying to smooth her hair into its original position. Shawn leant on the water cooler, obviously feeling rejected at Natara's hostility. Mal made a mental note to find out exactly what had gone on. Diverting his attention to Natara, he adopted a serious look

"You sure about this? They can get pretty rough sometimes."  
>Natara gave him another one of dazzling smiles he had grown to love in the past couple of days.<br>"Yes I'm very sure"  
>As Natara turned to face the front, her sudden girlishness faded away, and she became the smart Federal Agent Mal had first met.<br>"Hey! Eyes front and centre, NOW!"  
>Taken aback by the petite, delicate women with the foghorn voice, the entire bullpen silenced and faced the front. Even the cocky man tilted his head slightly and stopped singing.<p>

Natara reverted back to a normal woman with a normal voice, and addressed the room. As she began talking about standard profiles and the killer's level of intelligence and possible physical qualities, everyone's eyes were on her, obviously marvelling at her bravery and her knowledge. Mal's eyes were on her too. Just not for the same reason. With the sunlight falling through a skylight, Natara Williams suddenly looked like the most beautiful woman in the world. Her coffee brown hair, silkily falling into her eyes, so that she had to keep pushing it back with her beautiful hands. Her big eyes, hazel with flecks of green and gold, dazzled him, the way they glittered as she talked animatedly. She obviously loved her job, he'd never seen someone as happy talking to a bunch of strangers about criminal psychology. No one had ever had the reason or the balls to talk to rough, city cops about psychology. His eyes diverting back to Natara, he noticed her smooth olive skin, perfectly tanned and peeking out from her blazer sleeves and from where her shirt didn't quite meet her trousers. His attentions drifted down to her legs, and he realised just how tall she was, almost as tall as him, with those long, long legs. She casually shifted her weight from one to the other, and sometimes skimmed one of her feet along the floor. Then he noticed her shoes, slightly battered black coverse sneakers, just like his own. Turning his thoughts back to get ace, he took in the way she constantly licked her lips as of nervous, but still looking at ease. He also noticed the way she gently chewed her bottom lip whenever someone asked a question. He wondered how he noticed so many things about a person he had only just met, and then the realisation hit him like a brick. He was in love. Mal Fallon ha fallen in love with a Fed! Aware of how shocked his face must look, he quickly tried to turn it into some sort of cough, before smiling at Natara as she finished off her profile.

"What?"  
>She looked confused.<br>"Oh... Nothing."  
>He said, a little too quickly.<br>_"It's just you're so beautiful, and I think I'm in love with you"_  
>He added silently. Looking up at him, Natara tried to work out whether to take this further. She shrugged<br>"Ok, want to head down to the crime lab?"  
>"Sure." Mal smiled as he held the door open, thankful that Natara had not been able to see through his attempt at hiding his feelings, and that no one had spotted him gazing avidly at Natara as she addressed the room. Except someone had. And that someone was still stood at the water cooler, trying desperately to stop himself from killing Mal there and then. Eventually he calmed down, and reassured himself that the case would soon be over, and that Natara would be all his again. Just like it was supposed to be.<p>

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><p><strong> Wa-hey guys! I wrote this a while ago, quite lucky really because my hands could never have made it through this chapter without having to be like amputated or something. But anyways, check out the next chapter, it's got like a vote thing I think you'll enjoy, read it and find out the details :) Until next time, when there will be a bit more MalShawn tension, and a whole a lot more Shawn psychoness! Yay! I bid you farewell...**

** (for about a week heh ;) and I'll still try to stalk and review, so don't worry about me and my maimed hands ;) ouch :( lol)**

** Ps- if you're reading this more than a week from posting this chapter, the voting thing I told you about will have been deleted. Just saying ;)**


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